Co-op Bank and FOS

[paulgmb]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can advise?

I have an old current account with the Co-op which I opened in the 1980's.

I did use the account but not for my main banking as the store which had a bank counter in it was closed down so the nearest branch was 16 miles away.

There was no internet banking then so having a local branch was essential.

I last used the account around 1992.

 

The account still has a small balance and I have decided that I now want to use it again, as my main bank.

 

I wrote to the Co-op who said they could not trace it.

I then found my old bank card (Electron) which I sent to them proving I did.

They have repeatedly said they cannot trace any account without the account number.

 

I complained to the FOS who have told me verbally that they accept that Co-op have done everything in their power to find the account.

Really?! They have had every address I have ever lived at, DOB and know which branch my account was held at.

 

I have chased up the bank regarding the card as all they said was that the data on it was too old.

I aksed then about the printed number on the back (it didn't have the indented numbers as cards have today) and they said the 'BIN (now?)related to an account number at the Commonwealth Bank' and the card had been destroyed.

 

I now have a form from the FOS asking if I accept their decision with a tick box option.

They have not put in writing what they told me on the phone.

 

Sorry if this is a bit long winded, but this is the short version.

I thought banks had a duty to trace dormant accounts.

Some people I know have found relatives accounts over 50 years old by just writing with a name and address.

I'm still very much alive and the account was last used less than 20 years ago!!

Thanks for any advise you can offer.

Paul.

[BankFodder]

the first advice I can give you, is to be wary of the ombudsman. We have lots of stories of them wanting to do things on the phone and then the writing doesn't reflect what has been discussed. You haven't actually said what the difference was between the FOS verbal statements and their written statements.

The second piece of advice I can give you is that you shouldn't get into any of these conversations without recording calls. You should always always record your calls.

The third piece of advice I can give you is to consider what your plan is. If you don't accept what the Co-op is saying, and if the FOS is trying to find in their favour, if you don't accept the decision then what you propose to do? Mind you, if you disagree with the FOS decision then you're under no obligation to accept it. The FOS are anxious to be able to mark your file "closed" so that they can get it out of the way. Do not really think that the ombudsman is very much concerned with giving a good customer service experience to the people they deal with. They are under resourced, overstretched, not really independent of the banking industry, mocked by the banking industry and they lack the bottle to really meet the industry head on.

The ombudsman service should be scrapped and replaced with a public sector regulator/system of scrutiny to which you can complain. However, for all their grand talk, the government is scared of the banks and things are unlikely to improve.

[dx100uk]

he

iremember the days of the handy bank too

 

they closed them all down

and yep mine was 24mls away

still use it to this day.

 

i thibk i remember reading somewhere that A/C's with less than £25

they close them and they go to a redundant A/C store somewhere.

 

dx

[paulgmb]

Thanks for this. I have previous experience of the FOS, good and very bad! 2 seperate cases.

I fully intend to reply asking for a copy of their recommendation and ticking the box to say I don't accept their decision. What I'm really after is, is there anything specifically I can say in relation to their duty to find dormant accounts?

I thought I had read a few years ago that there were now guidelines/code of practice to assist relatives in tracing lost accounts and some sort of tracing service? I thought there was certainly a stronger obligation on them to investigate properly. I just get the distinct impression that they just can't be bothered to look as they have every detail about me except an 8 digit account number. The annoying thing is, I'm certain I didn't throw out my old cheque book. If only I could find it!

I certainly don't want my money to be seized for Dave Cameron's 'Big Society.' I believe this is the plan for dormant accounts and is it any coincidence that Co-op Bank are going to run it?